“Familiar scene, familiar divine aura.”
Indeed, Ye Yu had shattered the void and ascended into the Divine Realm. Before leaving, he had even reached the gate of the Wu Wei Pagoda’s Immortal Sect—but in the end, he had never stepped inside. Next dream sequence, he would need to prepare earlier.
Upon arriving in the Divine Realm, Ye Yu immediately deactivated all special effects. Devotion Points were precious, but to keep earning them, one had to stay alive first!
On Gathering Demon Peak, Pan Yuanxing’s recklessness had shocked Ye Yu—and served as a warning. He would always need to beware of those lunatics who embraced death, determined to land a single blow rather than break their Dao heart. If, as before, Ye Yu had possessed sufficient strength to crush them at will, it would have been one thing. But he was only a newly minted god, and all the flashy effects were mere decoration. If he met one or two fanatics who refused to believe in their own demise, it might cost him dearly.
So, now that he was in the Divine Realm, Ye Yu resolved to proceed more cautiously: steadily build his power, explore the realm, and look for opportunities—or even serendipities—before harvesting any Devotion Points.
Just as he was about to begin his exploration, the Dream System’s voice suddenly chimed in:
“Detected host’s strength has reached a threshold. New active skill for fledgling gods unlocked: Golden Body of a Single Breath! Upon activating special effects, the host may enter Golden Body of a Single Breath, raising defense to its peak for the duration of one breath. Usable once per month. Use cautiously, use cautiously, use cautiously!”
At the announcement, Ye Yu’s heart leapt. Golden Body of a Single Breath? If used wisely, this was tantamount to manifesting a divine sign on the spot! At the right time and place, the Devotion Points he could reap would be limitless. In his view’s lower right corner, a small golden icon of a person appeared—presumably the skill icon—though it remained dimmed. It seemed he would need to wait a month to activate it. Though he wondered why it wasn’t simply a cooldown, a mere month’s wait was nothing to him.
“Tsk tsk—this ‘fledgling god’ talent is something else!” he mused. Two bonus skills in one dream sequence—one passive, one active. Rewards for stepping into different tiers. Pure delight! All the more reason to proceed cautiously. Such formidable talents must not be squandered. This dream, he would lift his realm to an entirely new height before anything else!
Resolved, Ye Yu opened his divine sense, scouted his surroundings, and strode forward.
Two days later, in a mountain range:
Hidden in shadow, Ye Yu watched two gods battling in the distance. The previous day, he had passed by and spotted dozens of gods locked in combat. Their robes marked two rival factions, and their power levels were nearly equal. If the battle dragged on, both sides would likely be grievously injured—or worse, annihilate each other.
Ye Yu decided to wait for an opportunity to swoop in and reap the spoils. As fate would have it, after a day’s wait, only two gods remained alive, their divine power depleted and driven solely by stubborn faith. They fought almost like turn-based game characters, «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» which made Ye Yu impatient—he wanted to leap in, deal a couple of blows, and then loot their rings. But he reminded himself to stay cautious and waited a bit longer. Perhaps within a single incense stick’s time, even these two would fall...
Before he could fully indulge in such daydreams, a figure suddenly appeared, his divine sword blazing like ten thousand rays of light that instantly beheaded the two weary gods. Effortlessly, he began gathering their storage rings. From this direct action, it was clear this shadow-clad figure shared Ye Yu’s intention—but he lacked patience and possessed enough power to strike first. By acting a step ahead, he was already enjoying the spoils.
Ye Yu’s mood turned sour. “All that waiting for nothing,” he thought, anger rising. “Should I just charge in and fight?” A strange voice then echoed in his mind. Ye Yu turned and saw a handsome demon hidden behind a cloud. Noticing Ye Yu’s gaze, the demon waved eagerly.
Ye Yu frowned. “Not another one trying to get a piece of the action.” Yet this fellow showed no ill intent—otherwise he would have struck outright. Instead, he spoke telepathically: “What do you want?”
“I’d rather propose we team up,” came the reply. Pointing to the horns on his head, the demon said, “High God, I am Hong Zhencheng, from the Demon Realm—just like you. Fate has brought us together in the Divine Realm.” He sighed. “I waited long for these rings, but someone beat me to them. I saw your frustration. So why don’t we join forces and take him together?”
Ye Yu’s eyes brightened. Ah, what a proposal. He’d always been the one to ambush others—when had someone ambushed him? Watching another claim his prize went against his nature. A wry smile curved Ye Yu’s lips as he replied, “All right.”
Indeed, this demon named Hong Zhencheng was honest to a fault: he needed only two words before jumping ship. Advancing suddenly, he snorted, “Hey, kid, drop those storage rings, or I’ll make you!”
――――
Without hesitation, Ye Yu dashed forward, divine sense surging, ready to join in the fray. His journey in the Divine Realm had just begun, and already the first alliance—and the first battle—awaited.
